Crysis 3 Multiplayer Beta: What Works, What Doesn’t & Why

It’s one thing to ape Call Of Duty, but a whole other to mimic that and Halo. This is something that the Crysis series’ multiplayer has always done and, in doing so, has managed a fine line between the two.

Now we’ve had a healthy dose of gameplay from the on-going Crysis 3 multiplayer beta, we’re surprised to see Crytek has really honed this very tiny market.

Here’s some of our impressions with the new and improved multiplayer mode.

Shotguns Are Overpowered

There’s a disclaimer on the beta that insists things like balancing could change prior to release, and it is worth remembering that. However, something like this seems a little tough to change.

Stick on invisibility; get up close and blast away with a shotty. As soon as you figure that one tactic out, chances are you won’t want to swap loadout again.

Snipers seem to remain a persistent threat, but again as long as your clever about your invisibility usage you should have no problems against these guys.

And say Crytek did nerf the shotgun (it’s a one-hit kill from a pretty decent range) all it could do is weaken it to the extent that it’s useless. And then no one will use it.

If you get a chance to play the multiplayer beta, seriously: try the stealth/shotgun combo. You’ll rack up kills in no time and likely feel a little guilty about it when you do.

Learning to navigate maps will be more important for success in Crysis 3.

Clever Map Design

These guys are super soldiers. They can leap large chasms, lift heavy vehicles and deftly grasp onto ledges. Crytek is aware of this, and has implemented rather clever methods of enabling you to feel like a superpowered warrior, even in a map filled with superpowered warriors.

The Museum map best shows this off, though. Fallen trees lead up to higher ground – and if timed properly you can leap from one side to the other with ease. There’s a number of situations where this has been built on the map, and it makes for some smart design.

Knowing your maps – and how to get around – is now as important as the weapons you use and the timing of your nanosuit abilities. If you’re quick enough you can get the drop on an enemy without them ever understanding how or where you attacked from.

It means there’s an increased level of verticality to each of the maps, which is something Crytek has insisted was important to the single-player content too. That design choice has clearly carried over here, and it works surprisingly well.

Here’s Hunter mode in action.

The New Mode: Hunter

Hunter isn’t an original idea for multiplayer games. Halo has had its Infection mode for some time now, which sees a couple of powerful players on one side against an uneven team with rifles.

The concept is the same in Crysis 3’s Hunter mode. Starting as a Cell operative, you’ll need to try to survive as long as possible against the Hunters. Your equipment is weaker, your abilities limited and your senses hampered. The Hunters aren’t invincible, mind, but it’ll take teamwork to survive.

Hunters, meanwhile, have access to unlimited stealth, silent bow and arrow weaponry and the usual increased strength, shields and speed that comes with the nanosuit.

In other words, they’re tough. Properly tough.

A Hunter’s job is to whittle down the Cell operatives one by one. If a Cell soldier does die, they’ll respawn as a Hunter. Not original, perhaps, but there are subtle differences that make this mode quite thrilling.

The proximity reader, for example, instils a sense of panic in any Cell operative. You’ll find it hard to keep your cool when the creepy beeps of the detector signals a nearby Hunter, and even legging it won’t help since this invisible predators can run faster than you.

Teamwork is the only way you’ll survive, and careful management of the team’s (limited) supplies of EMP grenades – the only real solution to combating a Hunter – will be important in this mode. Good fun, though.

Alien Technology Brings Brief Power Surges

New to Crysis 3’s multiplayer is the inclusion of alien weaponry. A big deal in the main campaign, these powerful – but limited – pieces of equipment randomly spawn on the map.

In an homage to classic Unreal Tournament or Quake multiplayer gaming, these are a sudden but exciting way of claiming dominance. There isn’t quite as much depth to the system – you won’t be counting seconds until a respawn, for example – but the power is a handy reward for your team.

These could be a high-end plasma grenade launcher that obliterate anyone in the area or, our favourite, bipedal mech robots that is the equivalent of seeing a tank roll in on Battlefield 3.

It’s a subtle difference – and perhaps even an unnecessary inclusion into the game – but if your team are finding themselves up against tough odds, remember that these short-lived solutions are here to help out.

It’s the equivalent of the Gatling gun turrets that can be dismounted in Crysis 2’s multiplayer, but on a whole other level. Besides, it’s fun to turn people into bloody bits.